sanding

verb

present participle of sand
as in rubbing
to make smooth by friction painstakingly sanded down the wooden floors of the old house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sanding The roughly 7,300-square-foot residence has been adapted for contemporary living without completely sanding away what came before. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026 Bass delves into the ease (or difficulty) of loving people in terms anyone could grasp, sanding down the uniqueness of Cyrus’s viewpoint. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026 The work included sanding playground equipment, cleaning up wood chips and organizing toys. — Kennedy Cook, CBS News, 12 Sep. 2026 Degloss the countertop surface by lightly sanding to scuff the shiny finish, and then wipe the dust away. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026 For more than five decades, the brand has grown without sanding down the personality that made its original spaces memorable. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026 Before planting any hibiscus seeds, start by nicking or sanding the seeds using fine-grade sandpaper or the tip of a knife. — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026 Prep the Wood Prep the wood for stain by stripping and sanding any existing paint, coating, or sealant that could hinder the stain’s penetration. — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2026 Roughly a month before Kirk’s killing, Twiggs said Robinson asked for a Dremel, a tool used for sanding or grinding, to engrave bullets for an upcoming family hunting trip. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanding
  1. rubbing
  2. polishing
  3. grinding
  4. filing
  5. buffing
  6. sharpening
Verb
  • The bigger claim making the rounds, that a few minutes of face rubbing can quiet your body’s stress response, is where dermatologists urge a little caution.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In this case, there’s no swiping or rubbing at all—just let the pads sit and soak in for a few minutes before gently patting in the excess.
    — Jenny Jin, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of rubbing
Verb
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh even got hands-on experience shaping and polishing a quartz gemstone.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Before Bay Area readers start polishing their debate trophies, remember these studies are conversation starters, not final verdicts.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of polishing
Verb
  • Hitler wanted more dead, but his early lightning victories—Poland beaten in weeks, France in forty days—had turned into a grinding nightmare for the Nazis.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Raunchiest Miley Cyrus shocked viewers by stripping down to a nude bikini top and briefs and grinding, twerking and thrusting on fellow performer Robin Thicke at the 2013 show in one of the raciest performances in MTV history.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of grinding
Verb
  • Known for his exacting, couture-like approach, and an experimental zeal rare among designers at Europe’s largest luxury brands, the Frenchman got his start in fashion by filing, photocopying and cataloguing fabrics at Jean Paul Gaultier.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Examples under laws enforced by the Labor Commissioner include filing certain wage complaints, exercising rights under the Labor Code and raising some workplace health or safety concerns.
    — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of filing
Verb
  • If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste’s active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing.
    — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Classes and skills lean into different styles of play; Astromech droids are entirely support-focused, generating AP (action points) and buffing the party, while the Assault is focused on heavy damage and drawing aggro.
    — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of buffing
Verb
  • Wear Lipstick in Russian Red, sharpening around the mouth with Jones Road The Lip Pencil in Tawny Nude.
    — Fawnia Soo Hoo, Allure, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That is not Brutus sharpening his dagger on the Senate steps – that is what good governance looks like, and by any rule of good governance, Goldman Sachs is lucky to have David Solomon continuing at the helm.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharpening

Browse Nearby Words

sandglasses
sanding
sandpaper
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanding. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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